SLALOM, GIANT SLALOM COACH FOR U.S. FIRED

Georg Capaul, head men's slalom and giant slalom coach for the U.S. Ski Team, has been fired.

Alpine Program Director John McMurtry said Friday that no successor had been selected, and he would not elaborate on specific reasons the three-year coach had been relieved of his duties.Disappointing international results by the men's slalom teams were "just one factor," McMurtry said.

McMurtry said it was a hard decision but a series of things led him to believe the ski program would be better off with a new coach.